This decade, Hyundai has increased its market share in the US more than any other automaker.

      Hyundai Motor Group has seen its share of the US market grow more rapidly than any other major automaker this decade, planning to invest $26 billion by 2028 to produce at least 80% of its American sales domestically. Currently, its European factories make up about 80% of its sales in Europe.

      No other automaker has increased its share of the American market this decade like Hyundai, which has surged from 8.4% in 2020 to 11.8% during the first half of this year, with a 50% increase in sales, making it the fourth-largest automaker in the country.

      To sustain this growth, the company is committing $26 billion until 2028, with the centerpiece being the $7.6 billion Metaplant in Georgia. CEO José Muñoz stated this facility could expand production from 500,000 vehicles per year to between 700,000 and 800,000 by 2028.

      The driving goal behind this investment is to have at least 80% of what it sells in America produced domestically by the end of the decade, up from roughly 40% expected in 2024. While tariffs contribute to this shift—the 15% tax on Korean cars speeds up their localization efforts—Muñoz emphasized that the initiative was already in planning before these tariffs, a strategy also mirrored by Kia.

      Muñoz, a Spanish-American dual citizen, marks a significant change as the first non-Korean to lead the company. He told CNBC that his top three priorities are “U-S-A".

      In Europe, Hyundai’s facility in Nošovice, Czechia has been producing 350,000 vehicles annually with about 3,200 workers since 2008, reflecting what American consumers are asking for. The İzmit plant in Türkiye adds to this, producing 230,000 units each year, and the two plants combined account for approximately 80% of Hyundai's sales in Europe.

      This same 80% figure is the target Hyundai aims to achieve in the United States by 2030, mirroring the operational standard that has been maintained in Europe for years. Furthermore, these plants are not merely temporary solutions; Nošovice operates entirely on renewable electricity and manufactures models like the Kona Electric, Tucson, and i30, while İzmit produces the i10, i20, and Bayon.

      However, Europe has yet to see a numerical commitment like the one in the US. Hyundai has announced 41 new or refreshed models for the European market without providing an equivalent investment figure, and there has been no European strategy unveiled for its new Genesis flagship.

      Thus, the $26 billion investment does not indicate Hyundai’s newfound dedication to local manufacturing. Instead, it signifies a move to elevate American production to the operational standards that Hyundai has upheld in Europe for nearly two decades, particularly as the company’s focus shifts in that direction.